CEBU CITY, March 11 (PNA) — The Cebu City Government has created a task force that will address the problem of landless residents in the city.
Lawyer Janneses Ponce, executive assistant of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, said the Task Force Land for the Landless will provide land to qualified families while also serving the interest of the rightful lot owners.
“We aim to protect the underprivileged and also the interest of the propriety right of lot owners,” Ponce said.
Ponce said the task force will be headed by Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella with Councilors Alvin Dizon and Hans Abella as members.
Other members include City Hall lawyers, the Land Management Council headed by Ponce, Department of Environment and Natural Resources 7, City and Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer and Assessor’s Office.
Mayor Rama initiated the creation of the task force, saying he wants the “landless residents to have their own lots.”
The task force will conduct inventory of city-owned lots, formulate policies and lobby statutes or legislations before higher authorities.
Ponce said they will also look into contested private lots in the city.
“Owning a land is not only a privilege. As a land owner, you must secure your property to prevent squatting,” he said.
He said the city targets to give 1,000 land patent titles to Cebu City families this year.
The city has so far given 59 free patents to bona fide beneficiaries of Barangays Duljo-Fatima and Tinago last month.
The issuance of land titles was in accordance with Republic Act No. 10023, otherwise known as Free Patent Act, signed by then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on March 9, 2010.
Requirements for the applicants include the actual occupation or residence of the parcel subject to application for at least 10 years prior to the filing of the application and the applicant must not exceed a total accumulated property of 12 hectares landholding including agricultural lands and the area shall not exceed 200 square meters for highly urbanized cities. (PNA)